Effect of surface coating on water migration into resin-modified glass ionomer cements: a magnetic resonance micro-imaging study.

Magnetic resonance micro-imaging was applied to study water diffusion into resin-modified glass ionomer cement restoration and to evaluate the effect of surface coating over restoration. Two cavities were prepared on the labial surface of extracted teeth and restored with resin-modified glass ionomer cement; one was protected with surface coating and the other was not. Immediately after restoration, the teeth were immersed in water. Progress of water diffusion into restorations was monitored by T(1) weighted spin-echo MRI at one-day intervals after the start of immersion. To quantify the water diffusion, a model was developed and compared with imaging data. Best fit yielded an effective water diffusion coefficient D = (2.3 +/- 0.4) 10(-12) m(2)/sec. Experimental results demonstrated that surface coating protects the dental cement against water intrusion from the surface of the restoration which faces the oral cavity. Such coating, however, does not prevent water penetration from the dentine side.

Strength and reliability of surface treated Y-TZP dental ceramics.

This work was undertaken to evaluate the effects of dental grinding and sandblasting on the biaxial flexural strength and Weibull modulus of various Y-TZP ceramics containing 3 mol% yttria. In addition, the susceptibility of pristine and mechanically treated materials to low-temperature degradation under the conditions adopted for testing the chemical solubility of dental ceramics was investigated. The results revealed that surface grinding and sandblasting exhibit a counteracting effect on the strength of Y-TZP ceramics. Dental grinding lowered the mean strength and Weibull modulus, whereas sandblasting provided a powerful method for strengthening, but at the expense of somewhat lower reliability. The finest-grained material exhibited the highest strength after sintering, but it was less damage tolerant than tougher, coarse-grained materials. Upon extraction with the acetic acid solution and the ammonia solution, a significant amount of tetragonal zirconia had transformed to monoclinic, but extensive microcracking and attendant strength degradation had not yet occurred. Standard grade Y-TZP ceramics are more resistant in an alkaline than in an acidic environment, and there was a strong grain-size dependence of the diffusion-controlled transformation. Since a special Y-TZP grade containing a small amount of alumina exhibited the highest damage tolerance and superior stability in an acidic environment, this material shows considerable promise for dental applications.

In vitro permeability and scanning electron microscopy study of acid-etched and ground enamel surfaces protected with dental adhesive coating.

Clinical procedures, such as acid etching and reshaping of the teeth supporting removable partial dentures by grinding off some enamel surface, increase the permeability of dental enamel. Teeth take several months in vivo to partially recover from such damage. In the meantime, the tooth is more susceptible to carious decay. To prevent this the ground or etched enamel should be effectively protected. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and a two-chamber diffusion cell the authors studied the influence of adhesive resin applied to the ground and acid-etched enamel surfaces on the diffusion of spin label TMAPO (2,2,6-6 tetramethyl-4-acetamido-piperidine-1-oxyl) molecules through the enamel. The enamel permeability was measured in samples exposed to 1-min etching with 37% phosphoric acid, in samples etched for 5 min, and in samples ground with a diamond bur. Next, all the treated enamel surfaces were coated with Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus(R) dental adhesive system and the permeability measurements repeated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the porosity of enamel surfaces. The adhesive resin film covering the etched or ground enamel surfaces was found to decrease significantly the diffusion through dental enamel. This finding confirms the clinical value of dental adhesives used to protect ground or accidentally acid-etched enamel surfaces. SEM analysis showed that adhesive resin covers the porous surface of the acid-etched and ground enamel tightly.

The effect of surface grinding and sandblasting on flexural strength and reliability of Y-TZP zirconia ceramic.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of grinding and sandblasting on the microstructure, biaxial flexural strength and reliability of two yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP) ceramics. METHODS: Two Y-TZP powders were used to produce fine grained and coarse grained microstructures. Sixty discs from each material were randomly divided into six groups of ten. For each group, a different surface treatment was applied: dry grinding, wet grinding, sandblasting, dry grinding + sandblasting, sandblasting + dry grinding and a control group. Biaxial flexural strength was determined and data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's HSD test (p < 0.05). In addition, Weibull statistics was used to analyze the variability of flexural strength. The relative amount of transformed monoclinic zirconia, corresponding transformed zone depth (TZD) and the mean critical defect size Ccr were calculated. RESULTS: There was no difference in mean strength between the as sintered fine and coarse grained Y-TZP. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the control group and ground fine grained material for both wet and dry grinding. Sandblasting significantly increased the strength in fine and coarse grained materials. All surface treatment procedures reduced the Weibull modulus of Y-TZP. For both materials, the highest amount of the monoclinic phase and the largest TZD was found after sandblasting. Lower amounts of the monoclinic phase were obtained after both grinding procedures, where the highest mean critical defect size Ccr was also calculated. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results indicate that sandblasting may provide a powerful technique for strengthening Y-TZP in clinical practice. In contrast, grinding may lead to substantial strength degradation and reduced reliability of prefabricated zirconia elements, therefore, sandblasting of ground surfaces is suggested.

Determination of curing time in visible-light-cured composite resins of different thickness by electron paramagnetic resonance.

The irradiation time of a visible-light-activated composite necessary to achieve full polymerization throughout the material was studied. Curing-time dependence on the thickness of the material was also investigated. To monitor the visible light-activation effect, the free radical concentration was measured as a function of irradiation time. If the composite sample is less than 0.5 mm thick and exposed to light for a time interval recommended by the manufacturer, full radical concentration is indeed created uniformly. This is not the case in thicker samples. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) was used to monitor the concentration of free radicals in the samples. The number of radicals was monitored as a function of irradiation time during which the radicals were generated in samples 0.5, 0.8, 2.0, 3.0 and 5.0 mm thick. An EPR X-band spectro-meter was used to detect the free radical spectra. The number of free radicals per unit mass as a function of irradiation time shows that 60% of the maximum concentration of radicals in a 1 mm sample is reached in 24 s curing time, while in thicker samples it takes hundreds of seconds. On the basis of the experiments, a depth and irradiation time-dependent radical concentration model was developed. This model shows that a 2.0 mm thick sample is cured at the bottom side if irradiated for 60 s. It is proposed that the measure of the degree of polymerization in composite materials should be the polymerization of the bottom layer of the sample which is modelled from the number of free radicals generated in the sample.

Enhanced permeability of acid-etched or ground dental enamel.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Acid etching creates retentive microcraters on enamel surfaces. Designing of a partial denture often involves reshaping the supporting and retentive teeth by grinding the enamel. Unfortunately, both these procedures damage the enamel surface. In vivo such surface damage takes several months to recover. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effect of 1-minute etching, prolonged etching, and grinding on the permeability of dental enamel for water-soluble molecules. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With the electron paramagnetic resonance and a two-chamber diffusion cell, the influence of etching and grinding on the diffusion of spin label molecules through the enamel was studied quantitatively. The enamel permeability was measured in 30 sound enamel samples, of which 10 samples were exposed to 1-minute etching with 37% phosphoric acid, 10 samples were etched for 5 minutes, and 10 samples were ground with a diamond bur. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: All procedures significantly increased the permeability of dental enamel. These results demonstrate that in vivo the acid-etched and ground dental enamel surfaces are less protected and consequently, unless the tooth is properly protected, are more susceptible to carious lesions. Therefore ground or accidentally etched enamel should be protected.

Micro magnetic resonance imaging of water uptake by glass ionomer cements.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was: 1) to visualize the water penetration into glass ionomer cement samples prepared in two different setting modes as a function of time, and 2) to assess the potential use of micro magnetic resonance imaging by studying penetration processes. METHODS: An encapsulated form of resin-modified glass ionomer cement (Fuji II LC, GC) was used in this study. The mixed cement was syringed into quartz tubes (4 mm ID x 10 mm long). Half of the samples were radially exposed to a light source for 120 s; the other half were allowed to set chemically in a photographic darkroom. One hour after the start of mixing, samples were extruded from the quartz tubes, immediately immersed in distilled water, and stored at 37 degrees C. Eight specimens were prepared with each setting mode and imaged at different times. Micro magnetic resonance imaging was performed on a Bruker Biospec System equipped with micro-imaging utilities. A spin echo technique was used. A small tube containing a mixture of normal and deuterated water was added as a standard to which the signals from the samples were normalized. The average signal, as calculated by the image processing software from each region, was divided by the signal from the standard sample to obtain the normalized intensity. The results were analyzed by a Student's t-test. RESULTS: After 24 h of immersion, water diffused 1 mm into the chemical-cured material and approximately 0.5 mm in the light-cured samples. After 96 h, the water had reached the center of all chemical-cured samples but not of the light-cured samples. After 192 h, water had reached the center of the cylinders of both groups of samples. SIGNIFICANCE: MRI microscopy is a good method for monitoring the water permeability of glass ionomer cements. The technique is nondestructive thus, the process can be followed on the same sample without destroying it. By using some special imaging techniques, refinement of the method will be possible.

Proton NMR spin grouping and exchange in dentin.

The nuclear magnetic resonance spin-grouping technique has been applied to dentin from human donors of different ages. The apparent T2, T1, and T1 rho have been determined for natural dentin, for dentin which has been dried in vacuum, and for dried dentin which has been rehydrated in an atmosphere with 75% relative humidity. All apparent spin relaxation has been analyzed for exchange between the spin groups in which the dentin protons exist; the analyses incorporate the results of selective inversion recovery T1 measurements which better probe the effects of exchange. The exchange analyses of the high fields and rotating frame spin-lattice relaxation have also been correlated to determine uniquely the inherent relaxation parameters of the proton spin groups constituting the dentin magnetization. The natural dentin contains protons on water, protein, and hydroxy apatite; these spins contribute 50%, 45%, and 5% to the total dentin proton magnetization, respectively. The water exists in three distinct environments, the dynamics of each environment has been modeled. In the natural dentin 30% of the water undergoes uni-axial reorientation. 52% of the water has similar relaxation characteristics to bound water hydrating a large molecule, and the majority of the remaining water acts as bulk water undergoing isotropic reorientation. The results are independent of the age of the donor.

[Critical evaluation of an acrylic partial denture]. / Kriticna ocena akrilatne delne proteze.

Removable partial denture with a rigid metal construction meets the three main requirements of the up-to-date prosthodontics, i.e. properly directed chewing forces through accurate proprioceptive control of the masticatory muscles and preservation of the healthy periodontal tissues. Because of its flexibility the acrylic partial denture does not fulfill the above mentioned criteria so it can be, except in particular clinical indications, considered as a temporary and transitional prosthodontic treatment.

[Partial denture components and principles of their design]. / Elementi ulite delne proteze in vodila nacrtovanja.

In comparison between acrylic and metal framework partial denture minor and reduced major connectors represent the main structural difference. Basic principles of design consider: an examination of the partially edentolous mouth, surveying of abutment teeth and analysing of forces, which act on the denture during its function. In the literature above all chewing (positive) forces and their leverage action upon partial denture are described. Beside positive, the article analyses also the problem of dislodging (negative) forces upon partial denture and design of stabilizing elements.

[Direct retention of the partial denture]. / Zapone delne proteze z ulito bazo.

Direct retainers or clasps are the most demanding structural elements of the partial denture. Numerous clasps which are presented in the literature are divided into two main groups according to their design and function: clasps with occlusal approach (circumferential clasps) and clasps with gingival approach (vertical projection clasps). Number of clasps described in the article are satisfactory for creative design of all removable dentures in the partially edentolous mouth.

[Designing of partial dentures with free end saddles]. / Snemnoproteticne resitve skrajsanih zobnih lokov.

Partial dentures with free end saddles, classified as K I and II present special design problems because of the different properties of tooth support and mucosa support. The main principle is that strait saddles are designed as tooth-born, however in curved saddles tooth and mucosa-born dentures are preferred. The article describes so called "altered cast" clinical and laboratory procedure which prevents rocking of the denture around the fulcrum line in patients with resilient alveolar ridge mucosa. Besides that some typical designs of partial dentures are presented.

Composition and relaxation of the proton magnetization of human enamel and its contribution to the tooth NMR image.

The spin-spin, T2, and spin-lattice, T1, relaxation times and the magnetization of protons were measured in human enamel. The proton free induction decay was analyzed into solid-like interstitial water, enamel apatite, and semiliquid-like water components. The solid-like interstitial water was evaluated to be approximately 5 wt% and the semiliquid-like water to be approximately 1 to 2%. Neither in wet nor in dry natural enamel does the solid water exchange upon deuteration nor can it be extracted in vacuum. The semiliquid natural water, which is in the closed pores of the structure in the two samples above also remains unexchanged upon an 8 hr deuteration and cannot be extracted in a vacuum. With the lineshape-relaxation correlation NMR the free induction decays from heads and tails of the enamel rods were resolved. The solid-like water with T2 of approximately 14 microseconds and the apatite with a T2 of approximately 61 microseconds have T2's too short to be observed in an NMR zeugmatogram. Therefore only the semiliquid water component having an apparent T*2 of about 240 microseconds would contribute to the NMR image of human enamel. Since the relative intensity of this proton magnetization component in tooth is quite small the NMR image of tooth would show primarily the dentin and liquids within the tooth and on its surface.